Former Celtic Captain Paul Lambert Believes Club Can Secure Crucial Win Against RB Leipzig

Celtic currently holds four points after three matches in the Champions League. Paul Lambert, a former captain of Celtic and a Champions League victor, expressed his belief that tonight’s fixture against RB Leipzig is “a game Celtic can definitely win,” which would significantly advance their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout phase by putting “one foot in the door.” Lambert, who triumphed in the competition with Borussia Dortmund in 1997, attributes some of his optimism to his former club’s recent weekend victory over Leipzig at the Westfalenstadion. He stated, “I watched [Leipzig] on Saturday against Dortmund, and Dortmund should have won by more, if the truth be told. Dortmund were miles better than Leipzig. I think they’ve got one or two problems with some key players out injured but they’re still a decent side. On the counter-attack they’re pretty quick. [Lois] Openda’s a good player, [Benjamin] Sesko’s a good player, so they’ve got players who can hurt you but it’s a home game for Celtic and a game Celtic can definitely win if they play the way they can.” Regarding the home advantage, Lambert commented, “It doesn’t matter who comes to Celtic Park, it’s always a tough game for the opposition because of the crowd. The lads at Celtic seem to be playing pretty well at the minute. When you’re at home at Parkhead, it really works in their favour.” The former Scotland international also conveyed his admiration for Celtic’s start in the current Champions League format, having accumulated four points from their initial three games. He particularly highlighted the recent draw in Bergamo, remarking, “It was a great point against Atalanta. I know they had some great chances and missed a few and Celtic defended strongly. That’s a big point for them and they’ll take a lot of confidence from that. Celtic in this moment are in a really good place.” Lambert is also acutely aware of the potential importance of securing another home victory for Celtic, following their win against Slovan Bratislava on matchday one. Should RB Leipzig also be defeated, the accumulation of seven points would, in all likelihood, place Brendan Rodgers’ squad just one additional win away from progressing to the knockout stages. He outlined the strategic focus for Celtic, stating, “That’s what Brendan will be stressing. To win any game of football, you’ve got to be strong defensively. That’s a must. Everything’s built on that cornerstone – being strong defensively and disciplined. Play the game and not the occasion, that’s the key for Celtic. Don’t get caught up in the atmosphere, play your own game and be defensively strong to give yourself a foothold in the game. If they win, they’ve virtually one foot in the door of qualification.”